The Fine Line
by Myopic Writer
Summary: Taking a different route/new approach to the story from originally planned. Summary? Can't think of a better one, but characters involved still are Michelle, OC, and other WWE Superstars that will appear in the future. Please read and review. Thank you!
1. The Fated Meeting

**Chapter 1 - The Fated Meeting**

_Eight months earlier…_

Casey Cullen stood patiently outside the makeshift office of Michael Hayes, the SmackDown head writer. When Jared had called him two days ago, to inform him he had an appointment with the SmackDown authorities today, this wasn't exactly how he had imagined it. However, he wasn't complaining. Things were going well already for him. He had heard the words he had wished to hear, he had become something he had wanted to be -- a member of the SmackDown roster.

So far, tonight, he had had an unnerving meeting with the big boss himself, Vince McMahon; a much relaxed and less frightening encounter with the General Manager of the brand, Vickie Guerrero; and now, he was about to meet the head writer to discuss his role on the show. He figured with the way things were going, meeting some of his new workmates was next in this hectic day of his. He was looking forward to coming into contact with some of the people he admired and considered inspirations.

As he stood there, leaning against the wall, twiddling his thumbs, he wondered what his role would be. He wouldn't mind doing anything for the time being, anything but dark matches. He wanted an opportunity to shine, and if jobbing was the first step to stardom, jobbing it was.

Glancing at his watch, he realised he had been standing out here for more than twenty minutes. Michael was aware of his presence, Vickie had called him earlier to inform him of Casey's arrival, but he had yet to see the new signee, which only made Casey wonder what exactly was going on inside the room. Heaving a sigh, he leaned back against the wall and continued his long, patient wait.

Soon, the door opened and out stepped Michael. Casey stood up right as Michael turned to look at him.

"Casey Cullen?" he asked tersely, his tone hasty. Casey nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Michael. "Michael Hayes. It's nice meeting you. Walk with me."

Casey stared at Michael, who turned to walk down the corridor, with an odd expression on his face. Rude, the word he would use to describe this man. Shaking off the thought and feeling, he followed Michael, quickening his steps to catch up with him.

"The show is about to start and a problem has arisen," he started as they walked down the corridor with hurried steps. This explained his rude behaviour earlier, and being the understandable person that he was, Casey figured it wasn't exactly the man's nature to be rude. "I would have wanted to discuss with you under different conditions, but looking at my schedule, it's now or never -- never literally meaning for a while."

"I understand," Casey responded. "Do you mind if I ask what seems to be the problem?"

"I don't, but I'd rather we used this time to discuss a possible storyline for you than talk about other matters."

"I see!" expressed Casey with a nod. "That makes sense."

"I haven't exactly given much thought to it due to time constraints, but I was thinking the role of a face would be more appropriate for you," he continued as they rounded a corner. "What do you think?"

"It's fine by me." Casey was quick to answer. Playing the role of a face was what he wanted. While he was aware it was just a job, and for the sake of entertainment, he wondered how the heels could stand the hatred of many, how they lived with the knowledge of many hating them. He could not imagine himself hated by the people, he didn't think he'd have the metier to stand there, watching as they booed and hurled insults at him. He wanted to be loved, much like everyone else, and not hated.

"Just like I thought," Michael remarked, a small smile cornering his lips. "Well, here's the deal-"

"Mike!" a voice called out from behind, causing the two men to stop. They turned around, and there she was, in all her magnificent physique, walking up towards them. Formed on her face was a scowl as she approached them.

"Oh, hi there, Michelle!" greeted Michael, a warm smile now appearing on his face.

"What is this I'm hearing about an impromptu match against Beth Phoenix?" she queried.

"I'm sure you've heard of what's happened to Maryse," Michael began to explain. Michelle bobbed her head, admitting that she was aware of what was going on. "Therefore, the match against Bella cannot happen. We need someone to fill the gap left by this incident, and you and Beth were the only people available."

"I thought I was having the night off?"

"I know, and I'm sorry, but I had no other alternatives," he responded in an apologetic tone. "Just consider it as a favour for me, and I'll owe you one, okay?"

Michelle stared at him quietly as she thought about it. Dropping her shoulders, she exhaled. "You owe me a big one."

Michael smiled cheerfully and nodded in concurrence. "Yes, I do!"

For the first time since stopping the two, Casey noted that she was now staring at him. He felt he was being scrutinised under her gaze, and he was right. She was checking him out, which made him feel a little uneasy. She turned to look back at Michael and asked, "Who's the cutie?"

"Oh, where are my manners?" Michael started. "Michelle, this is Casey Cullen, our latest signee. Casey, meet Michelle," he introduced.

"Hi! Pleasure meeting you," Casey finally spoke as he reached out his hand towards her.

"Same," Michelle said as she took his hand in hers. Furthermore, as both shook hands, their eyes locked fixedly on each other. The sensation of their touch sent charges through them. Michael stared at the two, a vibe he was all too familiar with hitting him. He cleared his throat and spoke.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Michelle and Casey snapped out of their trance-like state and turned to look at Michael who smiled once again.

"Uhm, no, there is nothing else. That is all," she answered.

"Good. I have to get going now. I'll see you later."

With that, Michael turned around and continued down the hallway. Casey who had not once taken his eyes off Michelle shook his head before turning around to follow Michael. Michelle stood there, watching the two leave, an unexplainable feeling rising in the pits of her belly. It wasn't until after the two rounded a corner and out of sight, that she turned around to head back to her locker room to prepare for her impromptu match.

"An idea has just hit me," Michael said to Casey, who walked beside him, still unaware of where they were going.

"Is that so?" Casey asked.

"How do you feel about some action tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, that's right. Tonight," reiterated Michael.

A pensive look dawned on the face of Casey as he continued his march alongside the head writer. Tonight was no good for him for several reasons. One of which was, he had dinner plans with his girlfriend. Another reason was, he hadn't come prepared. Starting work immediately was the last thing to cross his mind. All he thought about was the brand signing him. A small quandary seemed to have presented itself and he didn't know what to do.

"So, what do you say?" asked Michael, impatiently.

"Err… yeah! I'm good to start tonight," he replied.

He couldn't believe his words. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had sworn to himself never to prioritise work over his girlfriend or family, and he had just done it. However, he figured it was for a good reason. The last thing he wanted was for the company to see him as an undedicated, work-shy person. He figured that if he wanted the push he wanted, he had to earn it by proving he was a hard-working and reliable person.

"Great!" exclaimed Michael, a vague excitement sensed in his tone.

"One little problem though," Casey announced.

"What is it?" Michael asked, excitement now replaced with light worry.

"I didn't come prepared. I haven't got my ring gear here with me."

Casey noted that the man seemed relieved at his statement, which made him wonder why.

"That's not a problem."

"It's not?" Casey was now staring at Michael questioningly.

"No, it's not. For the action you'd be involved in tonight, you don't need a ring gear. What you have on is fine. It's a small action."

"Oh!" exclaimed Casey. "What sort of action are we talking about here?"

A smile crossed Michael's face as they continued treading down the hall.


	2. Knight in Shining Armour

**Chapter 2 - Knight in Shining Armour**

Casey stood in the parking lot of the arena with his mobile phone in hand. He needed a quiet place, and while this wasn't exactly it, it would do. An empty locker room backstage would have been fine, but he needed some privacy, he wanted to stay away from the prying eyes of the cameras that plagued the building. As it seemed, privacy outweighed noiselessness.

Holding the phone pressed to his ear, he bit his lower lip nervously, as he thought of how he would explain things to her. Waiting patiently for her to answer, he listened to the familiar ringing sound. Then it came, the soothing tone of her silvery voice.

"Hello!"

"Hey, babe!" he greeted back softly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, thanks honey. How did your meeting go?"

"It went great, dear," he answered. Running his free hand into his hair, he made a face as he continued to speak. "Listen babe, I've got good news, and bad news. Which do you want first?"

Silence. He imagined her training her attention on the words 'bad news' and wondering what exactly was this bad news. As he stared out at the immobile white limousine in the parking lot, he could see her face before him, worry etched on it.

"You know how it always goes, sweetie," she began to speak once again. "Bad news first, then good news to, well, soften the blow, so to speak."

"I figured you'd say that. Anyway, the bad news is, I won't be able to make it to tonight's plans. I'm really, really sorry sweetheart."

"But why?" she queried, succinctly. Her words sent a chill down his spine, his body soon wracked with remorse. The dejectedness of her tone made him wish he had said he was unavailable to Michael earlier that night.

"I guess this is where I have to give you the good news. I have to work. Tonight." The excitement he had always wished to convey when he finally delivered news like this was inexistent. "I am now officially a WWE superstar on its SmackDown brand."

"Really?" she asked, her tone now full with exhilaration. "Honey, that's not just good news, that's great news. I'm so happy for you."

"I'm glad that you are. I am too, but I'm also not too happy about the fact that I have to miss-"

"Darling, don't worry about it."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Of course you will," she said with her tone now playful and lightly suggestive. "We are going to celebrate this, aren't we?"

"Most certainly," he replied, his face now lit with a soft smile. "I've got to go now, babe. Work's calling. I'll call you back later. Tonight, I make my first appearance on air. I still have no clue of what I'll be doing as the person in charge of scripting is being secretive about it, but hey-"

"Okay, honey. I'll be watching tonight just for the sake of you being on TV."

"I'll see you later. Bye." With that, he hung up.

* * *

I stood in the middle of the ring, hand held up by Mike, a wide, jovial smile on my face, as my music -- Not Enough for Me -- played over the loudspeakers. Having just scored a victory over my opponent, the 'Glamazon' Beth Phoenix, I revelled in the spotlight, knowing after all that is was no easy task overcoming the powerhouse of the WWE Divas.

Beth wasn't happy about this though. No one was ever happy about a loss or accepted one gracefully. Unbeknownst to me, Beth got to her feet. A cry rose in her throat as she lashed out at me, her forearm smashing the back of my head. The force of the blow propelled me forward into the ropes. As I hung on the second rope, she ran at me, slamming her knee in my back.

Mike called for the bell and began to shout at Beth. He told her that the match was over and that she should be on her way. Like always, no one ever listened to the referees. Santino slid into the ring, engulfed in a threatening aura. Mike slid out of the ring quickly and out of harm's way and caught a menacing glare from Santino. Santino then turned to Beth, who was now hammering my head with her fists as she kneeled beside me.

A few more shots to my head, she got to her feet and posed for the booing crowd. Santino stood behind her, wide grin on his face, clapping for his girlfriend and mouthing complimentary words of her awesomeness and beauty. She turned to look at me as I stared on the mat, a scowl now on her face.

"Pick her up," she ordered her boyfriend.

"Honey, are you sure about this?" he asked in his funny, Italian accent.

"Pick her up," she barked once again.

With no other choice, and hesitantly, he reached down for my hair, grabbed a handful, and gradually pulled me up to my feet. As he held my arms behind my back, Beth hurled insults at me, slapping me across the face in a disrespectful manner. All of a sudden, the fans began to cheer; Beth saw him and shouted warnings at her boyfriend. Running down the ramp and towards the ring was Casey Cullen.

Santino released me and turned around to see Casey slide into the ring and hop to his feet quickly. He threw the first punch but Casey blocked it, and threw one of his, which connected with the New Italian Stallion's jaw, sending him staggering backwards. Despite being unaware of whom exactly Casey was, the fans cheered him. Beth was now standing outside the ring, staring inside the ring at Casey delivering right after right on her boyfriend.

A huge haymaker from Casey sends Santino to the mat, giving him an opportunity to roll out of the ring and retreat. As they stood by each other outside the ring, they both stared at Casey in the ring with angry expressions on their faces, and questions about who was Casey swirling in their heads. Casey grinned, watching as they slowly backed up the ramp. He turned to look at me.

Sitting on the mat, back resting against the lower turnbuckle of a corner, trying to regain my breath, I watched as he slowly approached me.

"Are you okay, Michelle?" he asked in a soft voice.

I nodded in response and an affectionate smile cropped up on his face. I stared at him, awestruck, and stricken with a heart-warming sensation, as he reached out a hand towards me. Grabbing it, he helped me up to my feet to the cheers of the crowd. I thanked him, my knight in shining armour, and he accompanied me to the back.


	3. The Secret Bet

**Chapter 3 - The Secret Bet**

Walking down the hallway, a subtle smile on his face, he watched her suppress a giggle. He wasn't a funny man, never had been, but like most people, he did have his moments, and his moment happened to have arrived at the right time. Looking up, she suddenly came to a halt, the smile fading off from her beautiful face. Casey stopped as well and stared at John Morrison as he approached them.

"Hey, baby," he greeted, eyes fixed on Michelle, and without casting so much as a glance in Casey's direction. Michelle grinned, trying to hide her annoyance, and shook her head in response. "How are you doing?" he went on to ask.

"I'm okay, thank you," Michelle replied. "And you?"

"I'm great… and hot," he replied, with a smile.

"Typical," Michelle murmured. She watched as Morrison took of his coat to reveal his chiselled body.

"Aw," he moaned. "That is so much better."

Casey tried to conceal his smile as he stared at Morrison, thinking how much of an airhead the man was.

"Anyway, John, this is Casey Cullen," she started to Morrison, before turning to Casey. "Casey, this is John Morrison," she introduced.

"Nice meeting you, and your, well, it is nice meeting you," Casey said, reaching out a hand towards Morrison.

Morrison turned to look at him, an odd look on his face as he stared at Casey's hand. He stared at the new signee from head to toe, snickered as he tilted his head before turning to focus on Michelle once again. Slightly surprised, though somewhat expected, Casey forced a smiled as he slowly withdrew his hand. Michelle didn't look happy about Morrison's action but made no mention about it. She deemed it pointless, and it would have been pointless.

"So, Michelle, what are you doing later tonight?" Morrison asked, as he nodded slowly, the look in his eyes evincing his thoughts.

"Why do you ask?" was Michelle's concise response.

"Because I figured we could probably do something tonight. Just you and me. There's this cool party taking place, or we could go clubbing. I know this really cool club; in short, just having a good time."

Casey was quiet, staring from Morrison to Michelle. She inclined her head, feigned to be thinking of his proposal, when in actuality, she had already made up her mind. "I'm sorry, John; but I've got plans for tonight. Maybe some other time."

"Oh!" he exclaimed, his tone conveying the hurt of rejection he was currently feeling. He exhaled and shook his head. "Cool. Some other time it is."

"Great."

"Out of curiosity, what are you doing tonight?" Morrison asked.

A slightly surprised look formed on Michelle's face as she stared at Morrison, who stared back expressionless. "Err, why do you want to know?"

"Just curious," he answered. Michelle stared at him questioningly, knowing that he wasn't speaking the truth. Now feeling pressured under her inquiring gaze, Morrison continued. "I mean, I'm just wondering what could be more fun than hanging out with me."

A look of disbelief crossed the faces of Michelle and Casey as they stared at the pompous, half-naked, simpleton standing before them. Michelle felt like storming off in annoyance but she knew that would bring her no good. He would stalk her until he got what he wanted, and she wasn't looking to spend her night like this.

"In case you didn't already know this, it's none of your business how I'm going to be spending my night; and besides-"

"I understand that," he interrupted. "I know it isn't, but I was just curious. Satiate my curiosity, baby."

Sill gazing at him, she sucked on her tongue. "You know what killed the cat?" she questioned, finally.

"I don't know. Some drunken driver? Or was it a dog?"

"Funny," she muttered nonchalantly. "Curiosity; curiosity did."

Morrison stared at her oddly, pondering her last sentence. "Curiosity? What a sicko!"

Casey smiled; Michelle grunted her indignation. "Forget it," she snarled, walking past him.

"Mich-" he tried to call but she cut him off as she stopped and turned around.

"As a matter of fact, I've got plans with, with… Casey," she blurted.

"Casey?" Morrison and Casey uttered in unison, surprise etched on their faces. Morrison, with a disgusted look on his face, turned to look at Casey, who forced himself to smile. He stared at him from head to feet, trying to determine what she saw in Casey. He turned back to look at her.

"Why the hell are you going out with this loser?"

"Because he is a better loser than you are and will ever be." She turned around once again and headed off. Morrison watched her retreating figure, trying to make sense of her words. With a small pat on Morrison's back, Casey walked past him and after Michelle. Somewhat stunned, Morrison watched as Casey caught up with Michelle.

"Dude, maybe you need a new approach," a voice spoke, causing Morrison to turn around. Walking towards Morrison, small smile on his face, was Mike Mizanin, better known as The Miz -- one-half of the World Tag Team champions and partner to Morrison.

"Don't tell me what to do. I know what I'm doing. She's just playing a little hard to get."

"Keep it going dude, and you'd be doling out a thousand bucks to me."

"There's no way I'm losing this bet to you, just like I've never lost any other kind of bet to you."

"That may be true, but there's a first time for everything, John. Besides, we're talking about Michelle here. You're not dealing with Brie and Nikki. Those two were too easy."

"Yeah, they were; and I got two thousand bucks richer."

"Whatever. Coming for a drink?" Miz asked his partner and friend.

"Sure. Nothing soothes my aching heart better than a drink."


End file.
